Front drive toy vehicle



July 1, 1947 A. J. MIDDLER FRONTl DRIVE TOY VEHICLE Filed April 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 1, 1947. A. J. MIDDLER 2,423,248

l FRONT DRIVE TOY VEHICLE `Filed April 28, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 gmc/nm Patented July 1, 1947 UNITED 4- STATES 1 PAT-ENT OF FIC E i FRONT DRIVE TOY VEHICLE Y Alexander J. Middler, Detroit, Mich. Application April 28, 1945, Serial No. 590,897

6 Claims.

l This invention relates to toy vehicles of the type whichcan be ridden by a childandhas for its object to provide a toyhavng a body resemblingan animal, suchas a horse, which is mounted on wheels, together` with means by which the child may ride and propel the toy with.

"` motionsY simulating theriding of a horse.

It is contemplated that the body of the horse shall be supported by two rear wheels` and one steerable front wheel. `Another object is to provide :a propelling mechanism `operative directly on the frontwheel by which the front wheel may be rotated lthrough-a portion of a revolution `when the rider imposeshis weight on the backzof the horse: and throughthe remainder of a revolution when the rider transfers his weight to foot/pedals or stirrups. The body has an up and down` motion-as itis propelled forwardly.

Another obj ectv is to provide a propulsion mechanism operative` on the front wheel which will have'no dead center position. The horse may thus be propelled by the-rider at all times without -touching his feet to the ground.

Other objects are to provide'a construction which is sturdy economical to manufacture, of few partsand inherently of long lifeif manufactured `or" good materials.

Otherl objects and advantages will become hereinafter more Vfully-apparent as reference is hadfto the accompanying drawings wherein my invention-is illustrated and-in which Figure lis aside elevation of my improved toy horse withjthe actuatingpedals` shown in lowermost position,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the front wheel assembly of lFigure 1 with the pedal in upper position after passingdead center position,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-'3 of Figure 1,

Figure-4 is. aA rear view, and

Figure 5 is an. enlargened-view of the front wheel .assembly for .explanatory purposes.

More particularly, I indicates the body of the toy which may be `made in a variety of shapes but which is suitably made to .resemble a horse. Rigidly secured tothe upper part of the legs of the body VI by the screws Z are supporting brackets in which anaxle 4 is journalled., Rear wheels 5 are 'mounted on the axle 4 torrotation therewith.

Extending vertically through the bodyI near the "front end thereof is a steering column B. The horses head has a horizontal slot 1a therethrough' throughV which the .steering columnl extends, integral steering handles 1 extending from the column outwardly of the slot. l

The bottom of the steering column is xedly secured to a fork .v8 which straddles the front wheel 9. This yoke is inclined forwardly, `as illustrated and has a iiat. top portion III` which connects. its two `.legs and. which acts as the supporting, surface for the front end. oi thehorses body.` This. flatportion I0 alsoacts as a thrust bearing. since. it rotates onthe body in response to steering movements of thehandles 1.

Integral with one leg only of the fork 8 is a rearwardly extending portion II having a guide slot I2 therein to receive a roller I3 rotatably mounted, by suitable bearings ona pin I4 which is secured to thewheel 9 eccentrcally thereof.

Pivotallyeonnected at I5. to the lower, forward ends of the` legs of the fork `8 are two beams 'I5 and I1 which extend acrossthe wheel and tothe rear thereof. These beamsjointly supportfoot rests or stirrups I8. One beam I6 isi-ree of contactf with any other partirom its pivot to the stirrup, while` `the other beam I1 receives the .axle I9 of the wheel 9 therethrough.

With respect to theslot .I2 of the member II, the` walls are of cam `:formation intermediate their ends, as seen in Fig. 1 and as best yillustrated in Figure. The uppercam of this. slot is indicated bythe numeral 20 and the lower cam by the numeral 2l.

The operation is as follows, reference being had to Figures land 2 an .particularly to Figure 5. Figure 5 illustrates the parts in full line at the end of the period or cycle when the weight of the rider has been imposedon the saddle or body of the horse. Thebeams I6 and I'I with the stirrups I8 are in uppermost position, the `fork 8 is in itslowermost` position, the roller I3 is bearing on. the upper, part of the slot` I2 at the bottom (right end) of the` cam `2l), and the wheel-axle is at the position A, Figure 5 above the axis .of the roller I3.

The rider new imposes his weight on the stirrups It.` `The beamv ITI nowacts as a lever to lift the-fork `8. about the axle I9 asa ulerum, the roller, I3 is pressed against the right end of the cam 2l and. rolls down this Cam to the left. This cam .ZI thusi-s responsible for initiation of the` rolling movement of the wheel over bottom dead center. Continued downward pressureen thestirriips further ele-yates the fork 1B. and continuesrotation-of theroller I3 outwardly of the slot` I2 until .thestirrups are half-way on their downward travel. whereupon the roller reverses .its direction and continues until it reaches the left end of the cam '2I. The roller is then in the position l3a, the axle 19 is in the position B below the roller, and the yoke 8 and attached parts are in the dotted position illustrated. Thus, as the rider again seats himself the roller I3 is moved into pressure engagement with the left side of the cam y2l), upon which it rolls to carry the wheel over upper dead center position. The roller I3 continues to roll in the slot to the right until the wheel `9 has moved one-fourth revolution at which time the body I and fork 8 have completed half their downward travel, whereupon the roller` reverses its direction for the remainder of the downward travel of the body and fork. The roller I3 thus arrives at its position il lustrated in full lines in Figure 5, having completed an orbit of 180 during which time the wheel has completed one revolution.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I desire to be extended protection as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A toy horse comprising a body, two rear wheels and a front wheel supporting said body, a fork pivotally secured to said body for horizontal rotation and straddling said front wheel, a beam in which the axle of said front wheel is secured having stirrups on one end thereof and pivotally connected to said fork at its other end, said beam acting as a lever by which said body and saidfork may be elevated with respect to said front wheel when a rider imposes his weight on said stirrups, lan extension on said fork havingI a substantially horizontal slot therein, a pin mounted eccentrically on said front wheel having a roller rotatable thereon and engaging said slot, Said slot and said roller causing said wheel to roll through one half revolution during the imposition of the weight of the rider on said stirrups, said slot and said roller causing said wheel to complete a full revolution when the rider relieves his weight from said stirrups and imposes his weight on said body and on said fork.

2. A toy horse comprising a body, two rear wheels and a front wheel supporting said body for propulsion, a fork mounted under the front end of said body straddling said front wheel, parallel beams in one of which the axle of said front wheel is mounted, both of said beams being pivotally connected at one end to said fork and jointly supporting stirrups at their other ends, a roller mounted eccentrically on said wheel on the side of said wheel opposite to that in which said axle is journalled in one of said beams, an exten` sion on one side of said'fork having a substantially horizontal slot for containing said roller during rotation of said front Wheel, the beam in which said axle is journalled actingas a lever to elevate said body and said fork with respect to said front wheel when the weight of a rider is imposed on said stirrups, said fork, when thus elevated, exerting a lift through the lower side of said slot to said eccentric roller thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through a portion of a revolution, said fork exerting a downward thrust on said roller through the upper side of said slot when the rider shifts his weight onto said body thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through the remainder of a revolution.

3. A toy horse comprising a body, wheelsand a front wheel supporting said body for propulsion, a fork mounted under the iront end of said body straddling said front wheel, parallel beams in one of which the axle of said two rear front wheel is mounted, both of said beams being pivotally connected at one end to said fork and jointly supporting stirrups at their other ends, a roller mounted eccentrically on said wheel on the side opposite to that in which said axle is journalled in one of said beams, an extension on one side of said fork having a substantially horizontal slot for containing said roller during rotation of said front wheel, the beam in which said axle is journalled acting as a lever to elevate said body and said fork with respect to said front wheel when the weight of a rider is imposed on said stirrups, said fork, when thus elevated, exerting a lift through the lower side of said slot to said eccentric roller thereby causing rotation of said front Wheel through a portion of a revolution, said fork exerting a downward thrust on said roller through the upper side of said slot when the rider shifts his weight onto said body thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through the remainder of a revolution, and a steering column extending vertically upwardly through the front end of said body, said body having a longitudinal slot in the upper portion thereof through which said column extends, said column having handles extending outwardly through said slot, said fork being secured to the bottom of said column for rotation therewith.

4. A toy horse comprising a body, two rear wheels and a front wheel supporting said body for propulsion, a fork mounted under the front end of said body straddling said front wheel, parallel beams in one of which the axle of said front wheel is mounted, both of said beams being pivotally connected at one end to said fork and jointly supporting stirrups at their other ends, a roller mounted eccentrically on said Wheel on the side opposite to that in which said axle is journalled in one of said beams, an extension on one side of said fork having a substantially horizontal slot for containing said roller during rotation of said front wheel, the beam'in which said axle is journalled acting as a lever to elevate said body and said fork with respect to said front wheel when the weight of a rider isimposed on said stirrups, said fork, when thus elevated, exerting a lift through the lower side of said slot to said eccentric roller thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through a portion of a revolution, said fork exerting a downward thrust on said roller through the upper side of said slot when the rider shifts his weight onto said body thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through the remainder of a revolution, the lower and upper sides of said slot having short inclines intermediate the ends thereof, said inclines acting as cams to overcome the dead center upper and lower positions of said roller with respect to said slot.

5. A toy horse comprising a body, two rear wheels and a front wheel supporting said body for propulsion, a fork mounted under the front end of said body straddling said front wheel, parallel beams in one of which the axle of said front wheel is mounted, both oi' said beams being pivotally connected at one end to said fork and jointly supporting stirrups at their other ends, a roller mounted eccentrically on said wheel onl the side opposite to that in which said axle is journalled in one of said beams, an extension on one side of said fork having a substantially horizontal slot for containing said roller during rotation of said front wheel, the beam in which said axle is journalled acting as a lever to elevate said body and said fork with respect to said front Wheel when the weight of a rider is imposed on said stirrups,

said fork, when thus elevated, exerting a lift through the lower side of said slot to said eccentric roller thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through a portion of a revolution, said fork exerting a downward thrust on said roller through the upper side of said slot when the rider shifts his weight onto said body thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through the remainder of a revolution, said roller reaching a point substantially midway of the length of the lower side of said slot at the end of the travel imposed by said stirrups and when forced against the oppo site wall of said slot by a shifting of the weight of the rider to the body contacting a short in clined cam portion of the upper wall of said slot whereby said roller is forced over upper dead center position.

6. A toy horse comprising a body, two rear wheels and a front wheel supporting said body for propulsion, a fork mounted under the front end of said body straddling said front wheel, parallel beams in one of which the axle of said front wheel is mounted, both of said beams being pivotally connected at one end to said fork and jointly supporting stirrups at their other ends, a roller mounted eccentrically on said Wheel on the side opposite to that in which said axle is journalled in one of said beams, an extension on one side of said fork having a substantially horizontal slot for containing said roller during rotation of said front wheel, the beam in which said axle is journalled acting as a lever to elevate said body and said fork with respect to said front wheel when the weight of va rider is imposed on said stirrups, said fork, when thus elevated, exerting a lift through the lower side of said slot to said eccentric roller thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through a portion of a revolution, said fork exerting a downward thrust on said roller through the upper side of said slot when the rider shifts his weight onto said body thereby causing rotation of said front wheel through the remainder of a revolution, said roller reaching a point substantially midway of the length of the upper side of said slot at the end of the travel irn posed by the weight of the rider on said body and when forced against the opposite wall of said slot by a shifting of the weight of the rider to the stirrups contacting a short inclined cam portion of the lower wall of said slot whereby said roller is forced over lower dead center position by the initial pressure exerted on said stirrups.

ALEXANDER J. MIDDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,537,729 Banks May l2, 1925 1,808,887 Dunkley June 9, 1931 39,349 MacKenzie July 28, 1863 1,295,739 Hall Feb. 25, 1919 2,236,196 Middler Mar. 25, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date '753,570 France Aug. 21, 1933 

